The other child's captivity
by GoldfishCullen2000
Summary: The story of one of the children from behind the mirror. Please read and review!


_**A/N- Hi thought I would randomly put this up. I know it's a bit childish but I done it in year 7. =D It was some English work thingy so if you want please level it. Thanks**_

_Before she captured me, I lived at the Foundling Hospital in the core of London. I believe I was called Pearl, yes, Pearl. I was fostered for five years from when I was six months old to when I was five and a half. I despised being taken back to the Hospital but I learnt to accept it and get on with life. I was pretty good at everything I was taught apart from arithmetic. All the numbers seemed to swirl around the sheet and I got so fed up I would just slump on my desk and daydream._

_One day, when I was daydreaming in arithmetic, I felt a sharp poke in my ribs. "Pearl!" The teacher screeched from in front of the blackboard. "Stop daydreaming and answer the question!" As I was unaware that she had even asked me a question, I looked around for something that could be of help while the teacher stood tapping her foot at the front of the class. "Um, 7392?" I guessed crossing everything I could including my eyes. Bad move. Mrs Pearson, I believe that was her name, walked over to my seat and jabbed me beneath the shoulder blade, right where it hurts the most. "I've had enough of your intolerable behaviour. Every class you daydream and ignore me and now you dare to pull childish faces at me. You have pushed me over the limit so I'm going to have to send you to the Sanctuary!"_

_Everyone held their breath. The Sanctuary was everyone's worst nightmare. It was a tiny cupboard with a mini window with bars across it, very similar to a prison cell. It had a thin lumpy mattress in the corner and you only got fed bread and water twice a day. Sometimes children were kept in there for weeks! Or at least that's what the rumours said. "Hurry up, you're wasting class period!" Mrs Pearson's voice impatiently interrupted my thoughts. I shuffled towards the door, my face tomato red with humiliation. As soon as I was alone in the corridor, I let out the sob that had been welling up since this entire hullabaloo started. I was soon to regret that. Approximately one minute later, I heard the ear-piercing squeaking of the headmistress's newly polished shoes. I ran for cover in the shadows of the big, padlocked bedclothes cabinet. I had heard that it was padlocked so when someone wet the bed, they couldn't change the covers so the matrons would have more of an excuse to cane them. Anyway, I knew she didn't like weedy, pathetic little girls, the words she would use to describe me, and would probably either take it as an excuse to cane me or to lock me up in the sanctuary for even longer. I let out a sigh of relief as her office door opened and the squeaking ceased. I peeped out to check the coast was clear and set out to probably meet my dreadful end. This time, I unfortunately had no interruptions. _

_As I entered the reception area, I noticed that Miss Johnson was on the front desk as usual. She was young, with long, shiny brown hair and always wore maxi dresses. She liked everyone and was guaranteed to take pity on me. "Hello dear," she exclaimed as I approached the desk, "How can I help you?" "I have been sent to the Sanctuary." I answered, my head hung in shame. "Oh no, what have you done to have yourself sent there, treasure?" "I was daydreaming in arithmetic." I replied miserably. "Oh dear," She responded awkwardly, while putting my name on the register, "Let's get you in there then so the time will end quicker." She found the key for the door and led me round. "Sorry Angel, but I really need this job and I'm on my last warning so I can't argue with Mrs Pearson or she will fire me." Miss Johnson whispered unhappily into my ear. She always solved your problems some way or another yet not mine. It was quite frustrating but I was so upset that I just wandered into the Sanctuary._

_Soon, I was sitting in the pitch black darkness of the Sanctuary. All the rumours were wrong as it was a pretty spacious room, not a tiny cupboard, with an old but decent mattress from the dormitory. The only true rumour was the food. It was literally just bread and water, the blandest meal that could possibly be created. It was quite late so only the moonlight lit up the room, casting ghastly shadows across my face as I drifted into sleep._

_The next morning, I was awoken by the sound of locks clunking. It was Mrs Folcorn, the ghastly dinner lady, with my tasteless breakfast she had prepared for me. "Here is your bread and water, savour it as you have about seven hours until your next meal." She pretty much cackled with an evil grin plastered across her fat face. "Oh, don't look so sad, you'll only be in here for a few weeks, maybe months." She giggled like a schoolgirl, and then scuttled out of the room. I imagined her carrying a broomstick with ease, a big wart on the end of her nose._

_My breakfast was a hard, burnt end of a loaf of bread and some flavourless water but I was still kind of grateful as it was obviously the only thing I was going to get. I decided to follow Mrs Folcorn's advice and only ate half the bread and drunk a quarter of the water. I had nothing to tell the time with so I started to look around for some kind of entertainment. I studied all the rude poems on the walls until I knew them myself off by heart. I then decided to explore further and see if I could find any secret doors or passages embedded in the walls. I ran around in circles, running my hands across the walls for what seemed like a million years. All of a sudden, just as I was about to give up I heard a ping, like when the draw pops out of a till, and the scraping of stone against stone. Then, a piece of the wall started to fold behind itself, revealing the secret passageway I was hoping for. I looked around, checking the door wasn't open with everyone laughing at me for thinking I could escape, and there wasn't any spy holes so they could catch me. I glanced down at my own, plain, grey, itchy foundling dress with the sad, ugly, black buttons down the front. Hopefully, the people on the other side, my saviours, wouldn't send me back because they were too grand and rich to have a foundling in a grey dress stay with them. _

_Finally, I wandered into the opening, the dust practically suffocating me while the darkness swallowed me until I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face. In the distance, I could see a small light, getting bigger with every step. I thought about running, but I decide it was too risky as I couldn't see anything and anyone or anything could be living in the light. I was ecstatic by the time the light was so close I could see my hand again. To make the moment more memorable, I decided to close my eyes to take the special step to what could be new life. I heard the wind whoosh past my ears as I stepped through the light. I closed my eyes for 10 seconds longer, just to create some more luck, and then opened them to gaze at my wonderful new atmosphere._

_I felt like screaming. I felt like crying. I closed my eyes and counted again. No, it was true. I could never escape the Sanctuary. I stared at the dullness I was going to have to face for the next couple of months, if not years. In the end, I just laid on the mattress and wondered how it all happened. I was sure I hadn't turned around. Maybe I my feet lost track in the dark. Suddenly, the door opened. I decided to get out as quickly as possible, before whoever opened it changed their mind. I knew the only one who would open it was Miss Johnson, so the first thing I said when I got out was "thank you, Miss Johnson!" but when I turned around I saw Mrs Pearson fumbling around with the keys. "Oh sorry Mrs Pearson, I thought you were someone else." I stuttered, hoping she would accept my lame apology. "Oh don't worry, pretty little Pearl, you were in there too long anyway." She answered. Now I knew there was definitely something fishy going on, I mean, Mrs Pearson being nice is something so rare I should be in the Guinness world book of records. Young foundling girl makes grumpy teacher nice. Yes, I loved it. Anyway, while I was imagining my victory, Mrs Pearson turned around to put the keys back on the hook. I gasped. She had big, black, button eyes. I stared. My eyes were glued to the sight. "Oh you like my buttons, do you? They are Gucci's finest!" She exclaimed excitedly. "Um yeah, totally the best." I answered unconvincingly. Luckily, she believed me. I now knew three things about this 'new' Mrs Pearson: 1- she was nice. 2- She was stupid and 3- she had 'designer' button eyes._

_While I was free from the Sanctuary, I decided to go and collect my one and only belonging, a tiny thumb sized doll that my foster mother had given to me. It was called Tiny, a lame name I know but I was only five when I received it so I went for an obvious catchy name. I quickly ran up to the dormitory, which was full of screaming girls. This was completely weird as the 'normal' teachers would have had them quiet and studying now. Anyway, I thought it would be funny to creep up on one of my best friends, Annalise, and make her jump As I was creeping up, I trod on an old leaf, which seemed to make all the girls turn around. I should have known. They all had button eyes. I quickly grabbed Tiny and made a grab for it. I decided to go and tell Miss Johnson how I escaped, and obviously forgetting my earlier experiences. I ran down the corridors to front desk._

"_NO RUNNING IN THE CORRIDORS!" boomed a stern voice I recognised. I looked around and heard the voice again coming from the front desk. "YES, I'M TALKING TO YOU BRAT." I knew that voice. It was Miss Johnson! She had turned evil like Mrs Pearson had turned nice and of course, she had button eyes. I wasn't going to stick around while she was like this, so I hastily sped-walked down to the lunch hall. As I went, I picked up the scent of something new but tasty. I knew the evil Miss Johnson couldn't see me unless her buttons had built in laser vision, which probably wasn't going to fit in the tiny buttons so I started to run. Anyway, I followed the smell to the lunch hall where Mrs Pearson was stood at the door, greeting the button-eyed children surrounding her. "Hello dears, today's special is 'pizza'. Every type of pizza. Pepperoni, ham and pineapple, cheese and tomato, whatever you desire!" The children eagerly pushed through the small doorway, pushing each other until I thought the doorframe was going to burst. Mrs Pearson looked on gleefully then switched her focus to me. "Oh Pearl, we have something special for you on the menu," She said, something evil glinting in her button. "Follow me' I'm sure you will love it!" I slowly followed her into the lunch hall, weaving in and out of the benches full of happy button children chomping on this new 'pizza'. Mrs Pearson took me to the teacher's table, where all the teachers, including Miss Johnson and Mrs Folcorn, sat. _

_Upon my arrival, they all turned and stared at me creepily with their button eyes. I glanced around nervously, but was saved from their burning line of sight when Mrs Pearson shouted; "Oh don't be so harsh on poor Pearl! She is ready for our surprise now." They all looked away sheepishly, embarrassed to be scolded in front of a student. Mrs Pearson steered me towards an empty chair, literally forcing me to sit down. She disappeared behind a curtain and then came back holding a plate with my 'surprise' on it. She placed it in front of me, a great smile planted on her face. My 'surprise' was a bit of pizza, like everyone else, but instead of a normal topping, there was a button on it. All the teachers were looking at me again, yet this time sending a telepathic message saying 'yes'. It meant nothing to me and the silence was getting eerie so I broke it with; "Um, is it edible?" They all broke out into a loud, random laugh in unison. "Oh dear," Mrs Folcorn answered between laughs. "Of course it's not! We want you to join us, with button eyes." They wanted me to join them! Fat chance! "Let's see, with my real eyes, NO!" I replied, as I got up from the table and ran back towards front desk to personally lock myself back in the Sanctuary. I knew it was going to change at one point._

_As soon as I was in, I ran around the room looking for the switch again. I found it quickly and sprinted through the opening. I ran this time, ignoring the dangers lurking in the dark. I stood in the real Sanctuary, wondering what to do when suddenly, a great idea pinged into my head. I had the key. I could break in and surprise them all. Pearl, the girl who got out of the Sanctuary. At this rate, half the world book of records would be dedicated to me. I walked over to the door and listened for a moment. Outside, I heard nothing so I assumed it was lunchtime as I had lost track of time since I was chucked in there. I popped the key into the lock and giggled with delight as I slowly turned the key till the door handle loosened enough to open. I carefully eased it open and stuck my head round. No one was there. I looked at the clock. It was definitely lunchtime, I thought. Little did I know what they had done._

_I tiptoed to the lunch hall and counted to five. I then jumped out and shouted; "nananenana you thought you could stop me but you can't." I looked around. No one was there either. Where else could they be? I know! It must be half twelve at night, not in the afternoon! I listened for breathing but couldn't hear anything so I decided to investigate beyond the door. I carefully held the door handle and opened the old oak door. Once again, no one was there. I looked under all the beds on my way to the big mirror at the opposite end of the dormitory. I stared in it, looking for any signs of movement behind me. Suddenly, out of the blue, a picture of all the girls, including Annalise, appeared in the mirror. Most of the girls were hugging each other and crying at the back but Annalise was a strong girl so she was one of a group of seven standing tall at the front. The group at the front started saying something, but looking like goldfish or when you press the mute button on the TV remote and all the actors are mouthing their lines. I gave them all a questioning look and the bossy bully Sapphire rolled her eyes and stepped forward to write something on the inside of the mirror. '__Help us Pearl' __I read as she stepped back again. I wondered what she meant but then I realised. The other Mrs Pearson had captured Annalise and the other girls and I was the only one who could save them! _

_I went back to the lunch hall to see if I could get any food before I went any further. To my disappointment, all the cupboards were locked. I had to face the other Mrs Pearson to get the food I needed! I dragged my feet all the way back to the Sanctuary. My heart thumped as I stepped into the light. Everything happened so slowly this time. When I finally reached the other side, I shoved the key into the lock and went to run out only to find the other Mrs Pearson obstructing my path. She grabbed my wrists tightly and droned with fake sadness; "Oh Pearl, you have been a bad bad girl." She then motioned for Miss Johnson, who had been gleefully glaring at me, to lunge forward and snatch the keys out of my grasp. She proceeded to carefully place it on her long, slimy, black tongue and then slowly close her mouth and swallow it. I couldn't believe that she would swallow such an old rusty key! As soon as this was done, Mrs Pearson's soft grasp turned into a bone-shattering death grip. "We have you now Pearl. We have the key so you can't get away. We even have the needle, thread and a perfect pair of buttons so say goodbye to your eyes!" She continued, smiling from ear to ear with Miss Johnson. I squirmed around, trying to get away before my bones were dust. She squeezed even tighter, causing me to let out a high pitched squeal. She put her mouth next to my ear and whispered through gritted teeth; "Now Pearl, lets be a good girl. Wouldn't want me to squeeze tighter now, would we?" She slightly loosened her grip, allowing me to let out the deep breath I had taken to cope with the pain. She nodded at Miss Johnson, who reached for a bunch of keys on the filthy metal desk. I was forced towards an old, rusty, metal door. She sorted through the heavy-looking keys until she found the correct one which she poked in the hole. I was promptly pushed through the doorframe as soon as the door was opened. "If you are lucky, we will give you food later!" Mrs Pearson cackled. The next thing I knew the door was slammed shut and I was in darkness._

_I don't know how long I was in there for but about a century later, Miss Johnson brought me some burnt pizza and a glass of sour milk, not saying a word. I ate all the pizza this time but only half the milk because it tasted so dreadful. I sat around for a couple more supposed hours before I started to feel woozy. I struggled to fight with my heavy eyelids so I curled up on the blanket laid out on the floor and drifted into the land of Nod. When I woke up, I was in the dormitory with the other button girls. I jumped up and ran to the mirror at the end of the room. I saw me with button eyes and couldn't believe it. I had fallen asleep and they had got me. I was devastated but most of all I was ashamed. Not only had I let myself down, but I had let all my other friends down as well. Now they all had to pay the consequences because of my mistakes. We had to stay with button eyes forever. That day, I stayed inside the dormitory. I was never hungry or thirsty. I never even needed the lavatory. Every day from then on, I slowly faded away until I was just a wisp. I ended up being stuck back in the room where I had stupidly fallen asleep in the first place. I was lonely at first, but eventually the others started to appear. I tried to help them, but I was so terrified of the button Mrs Pearson that I shrank back whenever she entered the room, making me helpless. We traded stories and tried to remember the important details of our short lives. The other teachers and students never came to see us apart from when one of them was sent down to fulfil the deed. This is why we want to help you Coraline, so the same thing doesn't happen to you. _

**_A/N Hope you liked it! Please review._**


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